a. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus for rigidly interconnecting the ends of two pipes such as two pipes that might be positioned in an underwater environment in which the pipe ends are axially misaligned.
More particularly, this invention relates to an apparatus for rigidly interconnecting the ends of two such pipes in a difficult working environment and which rigid interconnection can be accomplished by the use of the apparatus of this invention without the necessity for performing a welding operation in the difficult working environment, yet which also provides a rigid coupling which will withstand wave action and the like thereagainst.
B. Description of the Prior Art
There are many examples in the prior art of couplings which are arranged for interconnecting pipes whose axes are misaligned. These generally are in the form of what is commonly referred to as ball and socket couplings. However, such ball and socket couplings are usually of the dynamic type which are arranged to provide for continued flexing movement between the axes of the two pipes which are joined after the couplings are connected. However, such flexing movement is very undesirable in certain environments such as underwater where the couplings are subject to wave action when such conduits are subjected to high pressure fluids passing therethrough. Continued flexing of motion caused by such wave action puts a severe stress upon such couplings, particularly those adapted for the transmission of high pressure fluid. As a consequence of such continued flexing actions, such couplings have in the past been subjected to early failure and have therefore been generally considered as unsatisfactory.